


What the BAU Members Would Look For In a Relationship

by Maree_nirvana



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Aaron Hotchner imagine, Crimial Minds vingettes, Domestic Fluff, Emily Prentiss imagine, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Imagines, Multi, Other, Penelope Garcia imagine, Spencer Reid imagine, criminal minds imagines, derek morgan imagine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24546844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maree_nirvana/pseuds/Maree_nirvana
Summary: My head-cannons of what each member of the BAU would look for/really appreciate in a partner. These would of course apply to any gender but in the imagines under the descriptions I will probably be using she/her pronouns because it's my personal head-cannons. I would really appreciate any feedback in the comments or just to discuss your thoughts.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Original Character(s), Aaron Hotchner/Original Female Character(s), Aaron Hotchner/Reader, David Rossi/Original Character(s), David Rossi/Original Female Character(s), David Rossi/Reader, Derek Morgan/Original Character(s), Derek Morgan/Original Female Character(s), Derek Morgan/Reader, Emily Prentiss/Original Character(s), Emily Prentiss/Original Female Character(s), Emily Prentiss/Reader, Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Original Character(s), Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Original Female Character(s), Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Reader, Penelope Garcia/Original Character(s), Penelope Garcia/Original Female Character(s), Penelope Garcia/Reader, Spencer Reid/Original Character(s), Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid/Reader
Kudos: 53





	1. Reid

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I apologise ahead of time if I make any inaccurate assumptions about the way things work where they live or let some slang slip. I'm Australian so I might not understand the way housing works etc, so let me know if something seems off!

So for Spencer I think a lot of people would assume he could only be with someone who was also really smart, like a genius. But I don't think that would be the most important thing for him, I think he would value curiosity more. I know that sounds weird but just hear me out. Reid wouldn't really care if his partner was overly book smart or scored really high on tests or had a million degrees. He'd want to date someone who wants to learn. And again not just education, he'd really love someone who is always trying to teach themselves. His ideal partner would stay up all night watching videos about programming because they want to know how it works, or maybe they are obsessed with the animal kingdom and know so many weird facts about animals and have seen every thing David Attenborough has ever done.

They could also be really knowledgeable about something less quintessentially "academic". They could be more of a creative, like they know an extreme amount of information about Art; techniques, art history, current art trends and they are always trying to learn more. They could be really into movies and film, they could talk for hours on end about filming techniques, technology and film history. Or maybe they are really into music and are always learning about composition etc. Spencer could also be really interested in someone who is also trying to be good in as many things as possible (like the sims trait). In the same vein of always trying to teach themselves, they'll always be trying to learn to cook, teach themselves a language, how to service a car, make their own clothes and any skill they can think of. Of course we all know that Reid values reading but his partner wouldn't necessarily have to read non-fiction books all the time. They could be really into comic books, or sci-fi, basically any form of reading.

\---------------

A way I would see this go is:

Spencer and his girlfriend would be curled up on the couch, both reading their own books. A Spotify playlist that they both add to would be playing softly in the background. Of course Reid would have added classical music but he probably also likes stuff like Sufjan Stevens. So while "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" is playing, his girlfriend would slam her book closed and watch Spencer read for a minute. Forehead a little scrunched, his pointer finger running down the page, taking in the words as fast as he can flit his eyes back and forth.

"Hey Spence", she says, moving off him a bit so she can talk.  
"Yes Babe," Reid would answer, putting down his book to give her his full attention. (I think he would call his partner babe, its the only pet name that would sound right coming from him.)  
"So you know how often people will argue that Indigenous Australians shouldn't have rights over the land because 'they didn't use it'?"  
His girlfriend would then probably shuffle in her spot on the couch, tucking her feet under her.  
"Yes, you've mentioned that before," Reid would say, because even if he already knew something he always would let his partner explain, hear what they thought and not act like he knew everything and they didn't.

  
"Well, I already knew some of this but reading that book, just WOW. I mean there are thousands of first hand accounts from the colonists about the amazing ways the Aboriginal peoples used the lands and built infrastructure that the British would then destroy to further their own agendas of having 'their own' land and justifying the way they treated Indigenous Australians the the rights to their lands." She would then take a big breath, getting into more description.

  
"I knew this stuff already, but there's so much evidence that I've never seen before! The Indigenous Australians weren't even as nomadic as people always say. Yes there were cultural reasons to move around, but they had permanent farming and fishing structures as well as proper housing, clothing and textiles, food storage, education. Which, just paired with the fact that the Aboriginal peoples had such a peaceful political structure, advanced and accurate way of looking after the land and farming as a result of being one of the oldest surviving peoples of the world, make it even sadder that Colonists worked so hard to dismantle their culture, knowledge and people!" She would then kind of collapse onto the couch and take a big breath and Spencer would like at her like she was the best thing in the world.  
"What?" She would say, maybe a little self conscious.

Spencer would just kind of tell her he loves her and that he especially loves hearing what she has to say, especially when shes so passionate. Then they would talk for hours about that topic and then shift to various other things, Reid referencing all the information he has stuffed in his brain and his girlfriend would be cradling a laptop, looking up certain things when she needs to make a point. And they would just be extremely happy.

(I did make her a bit Australian-centric but Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe was the last book I read so I just used that for the imagine.)


	2. Garcia

As much as I believe in the chemistry between Penelope and Derek, I wholeheartedly believe she would have to be with someone who had at least a bit of a geeky side. I think she would definitely get along with a lot of personality types though. She would be compatible with someone who's a bit rough and alternative or someone who's really soft. Even if the person isn't outwardly soft, they'd definitely be a softy on the inside. But mostly the trait she'd love is geekyness. They could be into sci-fi or cosplay or something. But mainly I think Penelope would love to share her love of video games with her partner.

They don't even have to be originally into them but she'd like that they'd make an effort to be involved in the stuff that she likes. Of course if they were already a really big gamer, she would love to play co-op with them on anything and talk about gaming and maybe even watch gaming streamers together. She'd also really like to play with someone who is a casual gamer or new to games. Penelope would have an immense amount of fun watching a new gamer play and trying to teach them. And she'd be so patient and make it fun and not put any pressure on her partner! Like, she can definitely be really competitive, especially with someone who is already really good, but she'd be so patient and encouraging with someone who isn't confident yet. She'd really like to de-stress by playing less violent games together. Penelope would play stuff like Mario Kart and overcooked with her partner when she gets home. They would also play a lot of Animal crossing in each others company. Although they usually just digitally buy games, I picture them going on special weekend outings to go clothes shopping together but they always end up lost in game and technology stores, browsing the games and consoles.

They definitely end up being known at all their local spots. Especially since, no matter what style her partner has, I think Penelope's partner would definitely have a unique look and so they would always attract the best kind of attention. Also I think, as a side note, even if her partner has a different body type or style, they would definitely borrow pieces from each other. They would share accessories and clothes but they'd always manage to style it in a way that made it their own. When they move in together they would of course have the most most eclectic decorated apartment, as well as the most comprehensive gaming set up. Combining their set ups, they'd have a pc gaming area, as well as every single console possible and they would all have really funky colourful skins and their computers would be full of RGB led lights. They would definitely do other stuff together but lazily playing games together would be their favourite thing to do on Sundays. I also think they would host some BAU games nights at their house as they would have a pretty great selection of board games.

___________

I imagine their interactions might look like this:

Again, they would probably be curled up on the couch together, deciding to spend that Saturday at home with each other. The couch would be a bright sunny yellow with colourful cushions and a big black fluffy blanket tucked around the both of them. Penelope would be watching her girlfriend very closely as she'd be play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the first time, one of Penelope's favourite games. They'd still be in pyjamas, hair all messy from the late sleep in they had.  
  


As the game is starting up, Penelope's girlfriend notices that Penelope has been staring and turns and looks at her.  
Garcia then would jokingly chide her girlfriend, "Excuse me, pay attention to the screen! Stop getting distracted, you're missing those sweet, crisp graphics!"   
"It's your fault I'm getting distracted!" Her girlfriend would counter.   
"What? I wasn't doing anything"  
"You were being very cute and it was making me want to kiss you."  
Garcia would smile at the compliment, putting some over confidence in her reply, "Well, I have actually caused a serious highway accident as a result of my dazzling cuteness, it distracts everyone that sees me, no one is immune..." She pauses then adds, "How about I let you kiss me and then you pay all your attention to the game?"

Penelope's girlfriend would then say something about trying her hardest, give her a quick kiss and get back to the game. Penelope would be so invested in watching the game and her girlfriend would end up enjoying it so much that they eventually realise its past dinner time. They would order in, getting something like a big serve of vindaloo and all the sides, eating the left overs the next day. Penelope and her girlfriend would hang out the whole night playing games together and eventually watching a movie before bed.

The next day would be spent walking around town, hand in hand, browsing book stores and clothes stores and game stores until their legs ached. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you liked anything about it because I've been reading fan fiction for years and i think I'd really like to finally share all my ideas for stories!


End file.
